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United States Patent |
5,184,708
|
Levasseur
|
February 9, 1993
|
Vend transaction control means
Abstract
The present invention comprises an apparatus for controlling the vending
and payback of change in a vending machine and includes a device for
establishing a list of permissible payback amounts from the vending
machine and for adding each of the permissible amounts to a vend price
established by a customer selecting a particular vend, and a payback
storage device from which change is paid back including apparatus for
determining the availability of coins in the payback storage device to
satisfy the permissible amount for payback.
Inventors:
|
Levasseur; Joseph L. (St. Louis County, MO)
|
Assignee:
|
Coin Acceptors, Inc. (St. Louis, MO)
|
Appl. No.:
|
842248 |
Filed:
|
February 27, 1992 |
Current U.S. Class: |
194/217; 453/2; 453/17 |
Intern'l Class: |
G07D 001/06 |
Field of Search: |
194/217,218
453/2,17
235/7 A
|
References Cited
U.S. Patent Documents
3820642 | Jun., 1974 | Levasseur | 194/217.
|
3894220 | Jul., 1975 | Levasseur | 194/218.
|
3963035 | Jun., 1976 | Levasseur | 194/216.
|
4188961 | Feb., 1980 | Heiman | 194/216.
|
4191999 | Mar., 1980 | Kashio | 235/7.
|
4347924 | Sep., 1982 | Hayashi et al. | 194/346.
|
4462512 | Jul., 1984 | Schuller | 194/217.
|
4499985 | Feb., 1985 | Schuller | 194/217.
|
4587984 | May., 1986 | Levasseur et al. | 194/216.
|
4763769 | Aug., 1988 | Levasseur | 194/217.
|
5092816 | Mar., 1992 | Levasseur | 453/17.
|
Primary Examiner: Bartuska; F. J.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Haverstock, Garrett and Roberts
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A vend transaction means for a vending system wherein the vend price is
added to each of a permissable change amount in a range of changemaking
amounts in sequence to provide respective sums thereof, credit
accumulation means for totaling the customer deposit, comparison means
connected to receive the outputs of said sequenced sums and of said credit
accumulation to provide an output relative to any equality thereof, change
determining means connected to the outputs of said comparison means and to
the output of said permissable changemaking amounts to indicate which of
said permissable changemaking amounts was added to the vend price when
said comparison means output indicated the equality, change availability
determining means connected to receive the permissable change amount from
said change determining means which produced the equality, said change
availability determining means having a first output where a signal
indicating said changemaking availability is produced and a second output
where a signal is produced indicating non-availability, means connecting
the first output to vend producing means and change payout means, the
second output being connected to a means to indicate said non-availability
of change and production of credit payback means.
2. In a vending machine having coin tubes of predetermined coin
denominations for making change, at least one of the coin tubes having
means associated therewith for indicating whether that coin tube has
sufficient coins in it to be used to make change,
means for making a deposit and accumulating the deposit as credit,
means operable by the customer to select a particular vend and to thereby
establish a vend price,
means to establish a plurality of possible amounts that can be paid back as
change, including means to add each of said plurality of possible payback
amounts in sequence to the established vend price to establish respective
sums thereof,
means to compare each of said sums in sequence to the accumulated credit to
see if an equivalent condition exists, and
means responsive to the existance of an equivalent condition to check to
see if coins that are available in the coin tubes are sufficient to make a
payback of the change that was required to produce the equivalent
condition and if so to produce a vend and a payback operation.
3. In a vending machine having coin tubes of predetermined coin
denominations for making change, means associated with selected ones of
said coin tubes for establishing minimum amounts of coins therein from
which the respective coin tubes can be used to make change,
means for accumulating credit based on deposits made by a customer,
means operable by the customer to select a vend and to establish a vend
price therefor,
means to establish a plurality of possible amounts that can be paid back as
change,
means to add to each of said plurality of possible payback amounts in
sequence the established vend price to establish a sequence of the
respective sums thereof,
means to compare each sums in sequence with the accumulated credit to see
if an equivalent condition exists, and
means responsive to the production of an equivalent condition to check to
see if the coin tubes have sufficient coins in them to payback the amount
of change that was added to the vend price to produce the equivalent
condition and if so to produce an appropriate vend operation and payback
operation.
4. In the vending machine of claim 3 further including means to refund to
the customer the amount of the deposits when the coin tubes are unable to
payback the amount of payback that produced the equivalent condition.
5. In the vending machine of claim 3 including means to return to the
customer the amount of the deposits if the amount of the deposits exceed
the vend price by some preselected amount.
6. In the vending machine of claim 3 including means to establish a
predetermined range of possible payback amounts for adding to the vend
price to produce the sums to be compared to the accumulated credit.
7. In the vending machine of claim 3 wherein the vending machine is capable
of vending a plurality of products at different vend prices..
8. In the vending machine of claim 3 wherein there are nickel, dime and
quarter payback tubes.
9. In the vending machine of claim 3 including a indicator device to advise
a customer to use the exact change for a particular vend, and means to
energizes said indicator device when the coin tubes are unable to payback
the amount of change required for a particular vend operation based on the
accumulated credit.
10. In the vending machine of claim 3 including means to produce a vend
operation whenever the amount of change added to the vend price exactly
equals the accumulated credit.
11. Means to provide change making in a vending machine when a selection
has been made and a vend price established, means to produce a list of
possible amounts of change that are permissible to be paid back for change
making, means to add the vend price selectively to each of the permissible
payback amounts to produce sums thereof, means to compare each of said
sums to the amount of credit entered into the vending machine by the
customer including means to identify each of said sums that is equal to
the credit deposited by the customer.
12. The means of claim 11 wherein the vending machine includes coin tubes
for paying back change, at least one of said coin tubes having means to
establish a minimum number of coins therein from which change can be made,
means to determine the ability of the coin tubes to make change based on
the amount of change determined by the production of an equal condition.
13. The means of claim 12 including means to produce a vend operation and a
payback operation if the amount of change to be paid back as determined by
the equal condition is available from the coin tubes to be paid back.
14. The means of claim 11 including means to establish a range of possible
amounts of permissible payback, and means to prevent a change making
operation from taking place if the amount of credit entered by the
customer exceeds a predetermined maximum amount.
15. Means to produce a vend and payout operation of an excess deposit over
the vend price in a vending machine having a vend control circuit that
includes means to select a desired vend and to establish the vend price
therefor, means to establish a credit value based on the amount deposited
by the customer in the vending machine, means to produce a list of
permissible payback amounts including means to individually add to the
vend price the amount of each permissible payback amount to produce
respective sums thereof, means to produce a vend and a payback operation
when it is determined that the permissible amount of payback established
by comparing the vend price plus one of the permissible payback amounts
with the amount deposited produce an equality condition, and means for
determining the availability of coins for payback the amount of payback
that produced the quality condition.
16. Means to control the vending and paying out of change in a vending
machine comprising a vending control circuit including means whereby the
customer can make a vend selection, means whereby the customer can deposit
coins and establish a credit condition, means to establish a list of
permissible change making amounts, means to add each of said permissible
change making amounts to the established vend price to produce respective
sums thereof, means to compare each of said sums with the credit entered
and to produce an output whenever there is equality therebetween thereby
establishing the amount of permissible change to be paid back, and means
for determining the ability of the vending machine to make the permissible
change from coin tube means including means for producing a vending
operation and a payback operation if the permissible amount of change is
also available in the coin tubes for payback.
17. The means of claim 16 including means to indicate the requirement that
exact change be used by the customer if it is determined that the
availability of change in the coin tubes is insufficient to payback the
exact amount of change required.
18. The means of claim 16 including means for paying back the total amount
of credit deposited if the availability of coins in the coin storage means
is insufficient to satisfy the payback requirements.
Description
Various methods have been devised to provide change to a customer from a
vending machine when he has deposited coins or bills for making a
transaction which exceeds the price of the product selected.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,769 assigned to applicant's assignee, provides the
feature of returning the denomination or denominations deposited when
change is required that is not available. At this time the customer is
directed to use the exact change to obtain a vend. He may be also allowed
to over deposit if he still cares to after notification of insufficient
change capability. This feature is possible when the price is known before
the deposit is made.
Other methods such as taught in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,894,220 and 3,963,035,
also assigned to Applicant's assignee, show means for subtracting the
selection price from the amount deposited (credit) to determine the total
amount of change that is required. The required change is provided from
self loading coin tubes which are activated according to the availability
of the coin denominations needed for payout.
Another method is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,188,961 which compares the vend
price with the amount of credit to totalize the required change and then
examines the coin tube change availability to provide a vend if sufficient
change can be made. The main feature is to provide that the full credit is
returned to the customer when change is insufficient by using a single
output line to provide two different functions by utilizing two different
signal characteristics (such as two different frequencies) provided
thereon and a discriminator to distinguish between the two signals.
Another method of providing change requirements is shown in U.S. Pat. No.
4,499,985 wherein coins and bills are integrated into the process of
making change. Again the amount of change required is determined by
substracting the selection price from the amount of credit deposited. A
further stipulation is that a vend requiring more than the first
predetermined amount of change is allowed only if an item of money of a
denomination greater than the amount of change required has been deposited
in the vendor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,462,512 also shows means to determine the amount of change
due a customer by comparing the price of a selection with the amount of
credit accumulated. It also shows the use of a memory to store data
regarding each possible coin combination that can be used to provide each
amount of change that may be required.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,191,999 and 4,347,924 both include means to determine the
amount of change to be paid by substracting the sales or vend amount from
the amount credited.
Means for determining the availability of coins for changemaking are shown
in U.S. Pat. No. 4,587,984 wherein the number of coins directed into and
paid out from each tube denomination is used to provide running totals for
payout reference. Another such means is shown in the previously referred
to U.S. Pat. No. 4,763,769 whereby minimum known levels were indicated by
coin tube sensors which were located at specific locations usually near
the bottom of each coin tube. Another method for tracking the coins
available for payout is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,816 whereby the coin
level for each tube is audited by measuring the time required for a coin
to fall from where it enters a coin tube, to when it strikes the coin
level present in the tube. U.S. Pat. No. 3,820,642 shows the use of an
up-down counter which counter accumulates credit in the count "up"
condition, and if the credit is to be returned (Escrow), the counter is
placed in the count "down" condition while coins are being paid out until
the accumulator returns to the zero amount of accumulation. The above four
patents are assigned to the Applicant's assignee.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides that a vend transaction is provided by
adding the price of the item selected to each of the change amounts that
are listed as permissible, and then determining if any of the additions
match the amount that is in credit. When there is such a match, the
particular change amount that was added to the selection price to produce
the match is used to determine if that amount can be paid from the
available change payout tubes. If it can, then a vend is provided and the
correct amount of change is returned to the customer. If no match occurs,
the total amount of credit can be returned utilizing the least number of
coins possible to conserve the smaller denominations for future payout,
or, the exact denominations deposited for credit may be returned. It may
also be featured that a denomination credited that caused the incorrect
change situation can be returned. A "USE EXACT CHANGE" indication would be
provided in such situations.
It is an important object of the present invention to provide vend
transactions wherein it is determined that the change required to be paid
back is both permissible and available.
It is an object of this invention to provide a range of payout amounts that
are permissible to make, which range can be easily modified.
It is an object of this invention to determine when a match occurs between
the amount entered as credit in a vending machine and the various amounts
occurring when the vend price of a selected vend is added to each of the
possible change amounts that are permitted to be paid back.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide indications to
the customer regarding situations which may affect vend transactions such
as insufficient credit, use of exact change, over deposits requiring
change amounts which are allowed or disallowed, or amounts which may
exceed that of the highest vend selection price available by some
predetermined amount.
It is an object of this invention to provide means for vend transactions
which have one or many vend prices and with all possible coin denomination
combinations that may be used for credit and for changemaking.
It is an important object of this invention to provide various methods for
determining the coins that are available for changemaking.
It is also an object of this invention to use a simplified means and method
to provide all the above objects.
These and other objects and advantages will become apparent after
considering the following detailed description of preferred embodiments in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the elements of a preferred embodiment of
the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a chart showing various combinations of coins from different
countries and how their incremental values relate to certain coin
denomination sets which may be used for vend transactions;
FIG. 3 is a flow chart for a program of the type that may be used with the
embodiment of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a block diagram of another embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 5 is a flow chart for the device of FIG. 4.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIG. 1, the price of an item when selected by the customer
is provided by Selection Price Means in block 20 which through its output
lead 22 is connected to block 24 labeled Permissible Changemaking Range,
which block contains means to sequentially add each of its permissible
change amounts to the vend price. The sum of each of the additions is
provided to block 26 labled Comparison Means by way of output lead 28.
Each of the permissible change amounts occurs in sequence and are provided
on lead 30 to be monitored by means in block 32 labeled Required Change
Determining Means.
A Credit Accumulator block 34 provides the credit amount of a customer's
deposit over lead 36 to the Comparison Means block 26, which block
presents an output on the lead 38 if a particular sum appearing on lead 28
matches the amount on lead 36 from block 34. An output on lead 40 from the
block 26 occurs if the amount of credit on the lead 36 is less than the
sum of the vend price when it is added to the permissible change amount of
"zero" and thereby causes block 42 labeled Insufficient Credit Indicator
to operate. When a match output occurs on the lead 38 the permissible
amount of change presented from lead 30 is utilized by the Required Change
Determining Means in block 32 to be directed through its output lead 44 to
block 46 labeled Change Availability Determining Means, which means look
at the change amount indicated as being available in each of the various
coin tubes to determine if the permissible and required change amount is
available. If the exact amount required cannot be made as change then the
output on lead 48 will cause block 50 labeled Use Exact Change Indicator
to operate and in so doing will cause payback of the total credit amount
by actuating block 52 labeled Pay Back Credit Means. This is done via lead
54.
If on the other hand the exact amount of change can be made, then the
output of block 46 appearing on lead 56 will control block 58 labeled Vend
Means and through output lead 60 will cause block 62 labeled Change Payout
Means to operate.
If no output occurs on the lead 38 during the sequence of permissible
changemaking amounts which occur on the lead 30, an output will appear on
lead 64 to operate block 66 labeled Over Deposit Indicator.
The control of the Use Exact Change Indicator block 50 and of the Payback
Credit Means block 52 may be controlled from output 48 in parallel or in a
reversed sequence. The same option may exist in the case of the Vend Means
block 58 and the Change Payout Means block 62 under control of a signal on
output lead 56.
Referring now to FIG. 2 wherein is shown along the top line 68, coin
increments from 0 through 20 and further on to 25, 40, and 50 in increment
steps as an illustration of increment assignments that can be given to
various of the denomination sets belonging to the countries listed in
vertical column 70. The change amounts permissible line 72 in this example
represents a range from 0 (none) to 19 ($0.95 for the U.S. and Canadian
nickel increments or for 95 p in the first U.K. example). The selection
price range 74 example is shown to go from 1 increment through 50
increments (0.05 through $2.50 for U.S. currencies and Canadian currencies
and for 10 Y through 500 Y for Japan). In the example shown the line for
increments available for change payout 76 is also shown i.e. A, B, and C
are increments 1, 2, and 5, respectively (0.05, 0.10 and 0.25 for the U.S.
and Canada and l p, 2 p and 5 p in the second U.K. example). In this
example the not permissible range 78 is for change amounts of 20 (twenty)
and higher and would be used to signal the Over Deposit Indicator block 66
of FIG. 1. This is done to prevent excessive payouts which might overly
deplete the coins available in the coin tubes.
When the change amount Permissible line 72 is at the No increment 80 (zero)
position and zero is therefore added to the selection price, the sum will
match (equal) the amount in credit. The change availability determining
means 46 will therefore only operate the Vend Means block 58 but not the
Change Payout Means block 62.
Referring now to the flow chart in FIG. 3 wherein the blocks have
appropriate legends, and in particular to the enter block 82 where the
sequence begins through path 84 to decision block 86. At the block 86 the
processing means checks to determine if a selection has been made, and if
not, the operational sequence follows the path 88 which connects to path
94 which connects to path 84. If a selection has been made, then the
operational sequence follows path 90 to decision block 92. At the block 92
the processing means checks to determine if there is any credit entered.
If not, the operational sequence follows path 94 to the entry path 84. If
credit has been entered, the operational sequence follows path 96 to the
operational block 98, in accordance with which the processing means gets
the price associated with the selection indicated by the block 86 and then
follows path 100 to block 102.
At block 102 the processing means adds each of the change amounts that are
permissible to the vend price that was selected. This range is from 0
(zero) to the highest amount permitted (19) increments as shown as an
example in FIG. 2. Each of the sums of these separate additions are
provided through path 104 to operation block 106. In accordance with block
106 the processing means compares each sum to the amount of credit
deposited, and the operational sequence thereafter follows path 108 to
decision block 110. At block 110 the processing means checks to determine
whether or not the selection price plus (+) 0 (zero) change amount is
greater (>) than the credit. If yes, the operational sequence follows path
112 to operation block 114. The operation block 114 provides an indication
(typically a message or light display) to the customer informing the
customer that there has been insufficient credit deposited for the
selection price that has been made, and the operational sequence
thereafter follows path 116 to return to the enter path 84. Otherwise if
no, the operational sequence follows path 118 to the decision block 120.
At block 120 the processing means checks to determine whether or not the
price plus (+) 0 (zero) change amount is equal to the credit amount. If
yes, the operation sequence follows path 122 to the vend operation block
124. In accordance with block 124 the processing means causes the vend
operation to take place, and the operational sequence thereafter follows
path 126 and connects to path 128 to operation block 130. In accordance
with block 130 the processing means causes the credit accumulator to be
cleared of the amount deposited. The operational sequence thereafter
follows path 132 which connects to entry path 84. Otherwise if no, the
operational sequence follows the path 134 to decision block 136.
At block 136 the processing means checks to determine if any of the sums is
equal to the credit. If not, the operational sequence follows path 138 to
operation block 140. In accordance with the block 140 the processing means
provides an indication to the customer that he has deposited credit too
far above the selection price which excess amount requires a change amount
that is not permissible, and the operation thereafter follows path 142 to
operation block 144. In accordance with block 144 the processing means
returns the credit amount and the operational sequence thereafter follows
path 146 which connects to path 148 which connects to path 128 to the
operation block 130, in accordance with which the processing means clears
the credit accumulator, and then follows the path 132 which connects to
the enter path 84. If yes, the operational sequence follows the path 150
to operation block 152.
In accordance with block 152 the processing means determines the amount of
change required for the transaction by noting the particular amount of
change that was added to the price when its sum equaled the credit, and
the operational sequence thereafter follows path 154 to decision block
156.
At block 156 the processing means determines if the coins in the payout
tubes are capable of paying back the required amount of change. If not,
the operational sequence follows path 158 to operation block 160. In
accordance with block 160 the processing means causes the "Use Correct
Change" indicator to be activated, and the operational sequence thereafter
follows the path 162 which connects to path 142, to operation block 144
which was described earlier, returns the credit amount and by block 130
clears the credit amount. If change is possible, the operational sequence
follows path 164 to operation block 168, in accordance with which the
processing means causes the vend operation to occur, and the operation
sequence thereafter follows path 170 to operation block 172 in accordance
with which the processing means will proceed to payout the change amount
indicated as permissible and possible. The change can be made utilizing
the fewest coins possible to preserve the smaller denominations for
subsequent transactions. The operational sequence thereafter follows path
174 which connects to path 148 which connects to path 128 and then to
operation block 130 to clear the credit accumulator as was previously
described.
Referring now to FIG. 4 which shows an alternate embodiment of the
invention. The price of an item when selected by the customer is provided
by the Selection Price block 174 which, through its output lead 176
connects to the Change Amounts Availability Determining Means block 178
which sequentially adds each of the available amounts to the selected vend
price. For example, if there is only one coin determined as available in
each of the coin tubes A, B, and C (as shown in FIG. 2) which coins have
values of 1, 2, and 5 increments, respectively, the various change amounts
available would be 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8. Therefore each of these amounts,
including 0 (zero), would be added sequentially to the selection price.
The sum of each of these additions is provided to Comparison Means block
180 by the output lead 182. The sequential available change amounts are
provided on lead 184 to be monitored by the Change Required Determining
Means block 186.
The Credit Accumulator block 188 provides the credit amount through lead
190 to the Comparison Means block 180 which presents an output on lead 192
if a particular sum from lead 182 matches the credit received from the
lead 190. An output on lead 194 occurs if the credit is less than the sum
of the price when it is added to the available change amount of "zero" and
thereby will cause the Insufficient Credit Indicator block 196 to operate.
When a match output occurs on the lead 192, the particular available
amount of change presented from lead 184 is directed through its output
lead 198 to the Vend Means block 200. After the vend occurs, its output
lead 202 will control Change Payout Means block 204 to payback the amount
of change indicated as required. If the amount cannot be made as change
then the output lead 206 will cause the Use Exact Change Indicator block
208 to operate and through output lead 210, the customer's credit is
returned by operation of Return Credit Amount block 212.
The control of the Use Exact Change Indicator block 208 and the Return
Credit Amount block 212 may be controlled by the output on lead 206 in
parallel or in a reversed sequence. The same option may exist in the case
of the Vend Means block 200 and the Change Payout Means block 204 as
controlled by the output on lead 198.
Referring now to the flow chart in FIG. 5 and in particular to the enter
block 214 where the sequence begins through path 215 to the decision block
218. At the block 218 the processing means checks to determine if a
selection has been made, and if not, the operational sequence follows the
path 220 which connects to path 226, then to path 216 and returns to the
path 215. If a selection has been made, then the operational sequence
follows path 222 to decision block 224. At block 224 the processing means
check to determine if there is any credit. If not, the operational
sequence follows path 226 to the entry path 215 via path 216. If so, the
operational sequence follows path 228 to the operational block 230 in
accordance with which the processing means gets the price associated with
the selection indicated by block 230 and then follows path 232 to block
234.
At block 234 the processing means adds each of the available change amounts
in the coin tubes to the vend price that was selected. This will range
from the 0 (zero) to the highest amoumt allowable (19) increments as shown
as the example in FIG. 2. Each of the sums of these separate additions are
Provided through path 236 to operation block 238. In accordance with the
block 238 the processing means compares each sum to the amount of credit
deposited, and the operational sequence thereafter follows path 240 to
decision block 242. At block 242 the processing means checks to determine
whether or not the selection price plus (+) 0 (zero) change amount is
greater (>) than the credit. If yes, the operational sequence follows path
244 to the operation block 246. The operation block 246 provides an
indication (typically a meassage or light display) to the customer
informing him that there has been insufficient credit deposited for the
selection price that has been made, and the operational sequence
thereafter follows path 248 to return to the enter path 216. If no, the
operational sequence follows path 250 to the decision block 252. At block
252 the processing means checks to determine whether or not the price plus
(+) 0 (zero) change amount is equal to the credit amount. If yes, the
operation sequence follows path 254 to the operation block 256. In
accordance with block 256 the processing means causes the vend operation
to take place, and the operational sequence thereafter follows path 258
and connects to path 260 and to operation block 162. In accordance with
block 262 the processing means causes the credit accumulator to be cleared
of the amount deposited, the operational sequence thereafter follows path
264 which connects to entry path 215 via path 216. If no, the operational
sequence follows the path 266 to the decision block 268.
At block 268 the processing means checks to determine if any sum is equal
to the credit. If not, the operational sequence follows path 270 to
operation block 272. In accordance with the block 272 the processing means
provides an indication to the customer that he has deposited credit too
far above the selection price which requires a change amount not allowed,
and the operation thereafter follows path 274 to operation block 276. In
accordance with block 276 the processing means returns the credit amount
and the operational sequence thereafter follows path 278 which connects to
path 280 which connects to path 260 to the operation block 262, in
accordance with which the processing means clears the credit accumulator,
and then follows the path 264 which connects to the path 216 and to the
enter path 215. If yes, the operational sequence follows path 282 to
operation block 284, in accordance with which the processing means causes
the vend operation to occur, and the operation sequence thereafter follows
path 286 to operation block 288 in accordance with which the processing
means will proceed to payout the change amount indicated as possible. The
change can be made utilizing the fewest coins possible to preserve the
smaller denominations for subsequent transactions. The operational
sequence thereafter follows path 290 which connects to path 280 which
connects to path 260 and then to operation block 262 to clear the credit
accumulator as was previously described.
It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the foregoing flow
chart configurations illustrate only one, for each of the embodiments, of
many possible configurations that could be utilized with a microprocessor
controlled vending system to realize the advantages sought by the use of
the subject vend transaction determination means. It will also be
appreciated that, if so desired, such varied flow chart configurations can
generally be implimented in hardwired constructions to the same effect and
with comparable results.
It is anticipated that any of the many ways to track or monitor the status
of each of the denominations to be used for changemaking or payout, may be
employed with the present invention. The number of and value of each of
the denomination types to be used in payout may be of nearly any
combination that is deemed practical. The denominations may be of coin
and/or currency as may be required.
It is anticpated that the denominations used in payout may be returned
utilizing the least number of denominations, same denominations inserted,
or any other method of credit remuneration.
It is also anticipated that the range of permissable payout may be easily
changed as directed by authorized personnel or automatically depending
upon either the amount of credit provided, the size of the denomination(s)
used for credit, the selection price, or the availability of a particular
denomination for payout.
In light of all the foregoing, it will be apparent that there has thus been
shown and described a novel coin acceptance means and method which
fulfills the various objects and advantages sought therefor. It will be
further apparent to those skilled in the art, however, that many changes,
modifications, variations, and other uses and applications of the subject
coin acceptance means and method are possible and contemplated. All such
changes, modifications, variations, and other uses and applications which
do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be
covered by the invention, which is limited only by the claims which
follow.
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